06/04/2015 10:00
CEV and DenizBank re-assert commitment to further develop Volleyball after record-breaking season
2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League - Men & Women
Luxembourg, April 6, 2015. The 2015 edition of the CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League came to a close on Sunday with the medal matches of the women’s Final Four tournament played at the Azoty Arena in Szczecin. This season marked the second year of DenizBank’s title sponsorship following a three-year partnership that was agreed in October 2014. At the end of another record-breaking season, the CEV and its Turkish partner can take a lot of positives whilst already looking forward to the 2016 edition of Europe’s elite competition.
Click here for a comprehensive gallery of the women’s Final Four tournament in Szczecin
“I am extremely pleased with the cooperation we have developed with DenizBank throughout these two years since the start of our partnership. As the 2015 edition of the CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League has now come to a close, there are many positives that we can take from this season and especially from the Final Four tournaments held in Berlin and Szczecin,” CEV President André Meyer says. “Together with DenizBank and the organisers we have raised the profile of our competition to a different level, making it a real show which combines world-class sport with the best practices from the entertainment industry.”
“After the successful men’s finals in Berlin we were pleased also with the organisation of the women’s Final Four in Poland,” stresses Mr Hakan Ates, CEO of DenizBank, which is a member of the Sberbank Group. “For us at DenizBank, the support we provide to sports is at the very centre of our corporate social responsibility. We attach great importance to sport and we wish its messages and values be further spread across our society. We are extremely pleased that two strong teams from Turkey, VakifBank and Eczacibasi VitrA, were among those who participated in the Final Four. I thank all the teams who competed in Szczecin and congratulate the eventual winners Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL.”
The partnership between CEV and DenizBank started in October 2014 and is seen as an additional boost for the sustainable development of Volleyball in Turkey and across Europe as well.
“The Final Four tournament held in Szczecin confirmed once more that our sport’s popularity continues to grow. We are working hard together with all partners and stakeholders to improve the general perception of Volleyball across the public opinion and to make sure that our sport becomes a benchmark in terms of innovation and entertainment,” CEV President André Meyer adds. “We are exploring new ways of engaging with our fans and we are totally committed to the delivery of a show that unfolds both on and off the court. Our long-term mission is also to send out a message that draws in the young generations so that they understand and appreciate the core and quintessential values of our sport: fair play, friendship and team work.”
“We have embraced sports similarly to what we did with arts and culture since the early days following the establishment of our bank,” adds Mr Hakan Ates, DenizBank CEO. “We are making very important steps towards the further development of Turkish sport and sportspeople. We are touching the lives of many people by exploiting the energy that goes along with sport, and we want to further promote sports awareness across the young generations. This is the core mission we have set with our investments in sport. This year’s men’s and women’s competitions have really impressed us. We are especially proud that two teams from Turkey made the finals of the women’s league. I am also pleased by the fact that the competition has always been marked by a spirit of friendship and fair play. Finally, I would also like to congratulate the team of Eczacibasi VitrA ISTANBUL for their performance throughout the season and for coming out on top at the end of this weekend’s Final Four.”
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